


Quality Family Time

by rivlee



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fluff, M/M, Meet the Family, Sam/Steve Exchange 2015, not AOU compliant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-10
Updated: 2015-05-10
Packaged: 2018-03-29 19:59:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3908701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rivlee/pseuds/rivlee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam takes Steve to meet the family and everything's going just fine--really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quality Family Time

**Author's Note:**

> For newstarr411 on tumblr who requested: 
> 
>  
> 
> _Sam takes Steve to meet his family and the encounter doesn't go well. No one is homophobic or openly hostile, but little things keep going wrong. Like when they heard Sam was bringing an Avenger to dinner they were all secretly hoping it was Iron Man, the kids keep asking Steve if he'd call the Hulk over, and Sam's uncle keeps calling Steve "Thor."_

Steve Rogers came home one Wednesday night, body aching in places that only came with falling from a fifteen-story building, to find his boyfriend standing in their kitchen holding a neon-colored glittery piece of paper in his hands. Steve smiled at the childish handwriting and the construction paper, but Sam looked like he had the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head.

“Not a fan of bright green?” Steve asked as he pressed a kiss to Sam’s cheek.

“It’s from my niece. It’s an invitation to her birthday party,” he said. He laid it down on the countertop and rested his hands on Steve’s hips.

Steve grinned as he leaned into Sam’s hold and stole a quick kiss that turned into a longer one. “I didn’t think people still mailed invitations or made cards by hand” he said after he’d forced himself to pull back. “It’s sweet she made it herself. I don’t think that’s a summons you can turn down, Mr. Wilson.”

“You’re invited too,” Sam said. “Well, it’s addressed to _Uncle Sam and his favorite Avenger_. I’m pretty sure they mean you. They might mean Rhodey or T’Challa or Monica, but their involvement is still classified, so it should be you.”

“I certainly hope so,” Steve said. “When is this party? I’ll tell the team that we won’t be available that week.”

Sam laughed and tightened his hold on Steve’s hips. “You’re not quite getting it, are you?”

“What?” Steve asked. 

“My family’s going to be there,” Sam said. “My entire family, everyone who is still living and able. Do you…have you ever had to meet the family, Steve?”

Steve never had, in fact, had to meet the family in the way Sam meant. It was different back when he was younger. The few times he had dated either involved someone from the same street, where everybody already knew everyone, or else it was situation where they both knew there would be no family meeting even if their relatives were still alive. Hook-ups in dark alleys and supposedly forbidden bars didn’t generally result in invitations to dine with the family.

There were definitely something to be said for the future.

“Hey, first time for everything right,” Steve said. “I figure I’m about eighty years past due for it.” He gripped the back of Sam’s neck and gave him a comforting squeeze. “It’ll be fine, Sam.”

Sam laughed and Steve pretended he didn’t hear the slight hint of despair in it.

**********

“I heard you’re going home to meet the parents,” Nat said during their weekly lunch meeting.

“Grandparent, siblings, and various nieces,” Steve said. “Sam lost his parents a few years ago.”

Steve didn’t know if that was really his family history to share, but he figured Nat probably already knew. Her lack of both an obvious and an unconscious reaction confirmed Steve’s assumption.

“When did you do the background check on him?” he asked.

“When you were in the shower after you brought us to his house.” She rolled her eyes at him as she munched a crouton. “People were trying to kill us, Steve, and we’d just lost Fury. I wasn’t taking any chances.”

“Thanks for looking out for us,” Steve said.

“We take care of each other,” Natasha said. “That’s what friends do, right?”

“Yeah,” Steve said, feeling his smile go soft as he looked at the trained assassin and spy across from him and now only ever saw his friend first. “Yeah, we do.”

“Then I think I should come as back-up for you’ll little trip,” Nat said. “You might need me.”

“I’ll be fine,” Steve insisted.

“I’ll keep my schedule clear just in case,” Nat said as she picked up her phone and typed something.

“It’ll be fine,” Steve insisted.

Nat waved a hand at him. “Sam agrees with me. He also says you need to stop telling everyone it’ll be fine before you jinx something.”

Steve sighed. “It’ll be—” He stopped when a crouton hit him dead between the eyes.

Nat winked and went back to her salad.

**********

Large indoor department stores still kind of awed Steve if he was being truly honest. It wasn’t that he’d never set foot inside one before the war, it was just one of those rare times he joined the Barnes’ and could look, but not touch. There wasn’t that same feeling of untouchable luxury walking through their closest Target, but the sheer variety of everything was still enough to make him pause for a moment.

He laughed when Sam nudged him in the ass with a shopping cart.

“Alright, okay, I’m moving,” Steve said.

“I know you need to take a moment to bask in the glow of capitalism and the smell of the in-store Starbucks, but you’re blocking the aisle with that superhero pose of yours,” Sam said.

“Jealous that you can’t make it look this good?” Steve asked.

“Oh, I can,” Sam said. “I just don’t want to embarrass you out in public like this, with all these people around.” 

“If you say so,” Steve teased as he followed Sam through the aisles. 

They passed children’s clothing, pet needs, house wares and appliances, grocery, and lawn care before they finally arrived at the bicycles. 

“This is what she really wants?” Steve asked as he looked at the rows and rows of bikes. 

Sam shrugged as he pulled out his phone and pulled up a picture of bike Sarah had texted him.

“I’m sure what Keisha _wants_ is to go back to Harlem, and have her friends back there too, and for their part of the neighborhood to finally be rebuilt. Since that’s not about to happen for another year we’re buying her this cruiser bike. Apparently old school or retro or whatever is the new popular style of bike.”

Steve refrained from making the obvious comment and merely looked between the picture on Sam’s phone and the bikes on display.

“I like the blue one,” he said.

“Of course you do,” Sam said.

*********

Road trips had sort of become their thing ever since the second time they met. Whether it was a long trip to track down a lead on Bucky or a short one to have Steve experience the wonder that was Ikea and its Swedish meatballs, it was rare for a month to go by when there wasn’t some type of long drive together. They had it down to a science of sorts, each knew the signs of the other getting too sleepy or too annoyed with their fellow drivers. They had their favorite driving mixes and snacks. There were only two major differences to this trip.

One was the fully assembled bicycle wedged into the back seat, basket, bell, reflector lights and all.

The second was all of Sam’s nervous ticks coming out to play at once the moment they passed the city limits and hit New York State proper. 

“It’s going to be fine,” Steve said as he leaned over from the passenger seat and rested a hand on Sam’s knee.

“Man, I love you, but please stop saying that. You’re just asking for it at this point. Disaster raining down from the sky is kind of your _thing_ whenever you come in breathing distance of a city center with multiple skyscrapers,” Sam said.

“We just passed the city and nothing happened,” Steve said.

“That we know of,” Sam mumbled. 

Steve took his hand off Sam’s knee only long enough to turn up the volume of the speakers. He smiled to himself as Sam visibly relaxed and Bill Withers’ voice filled the car.

***********

There was no one waiting outside for them when they pulled up to Sarah Wilson’s house and that seemed to make Sam happy.

“Okay, final rundown,” Sam said as he pulled the keys out of the ignition. “The old man is Grandpa Wright, my mom’s dad. He doesn’t really like anyone and _still_ asks why I couldn’t have become an army surgeon like he did. You’ve met Sarah and you’ve seen pictures of Jody and Keisha, so we’re fine there. Gideon is the eldest of us and he’s…not a fan of any Avengers. Sarah swore he promised to be on his best behavior. Jimmy, his son, is coming up for Keisha’s party, maybe, possibly—he might boycott in protest; we’re working on it. Then there’s Aunt Deb who will probably micromanage us all to hell this weekend unless Sarah really did ship her off to that spar for a weekend like she threatened. Those are the blood relatives. We’ll have a ton of family-friends too.”

“So, just do the smile, nod, and kiss the babies thing?” Steve asked. He needed Sam to laugh.

“You look terrified when you hold babies,” Sam said. “Stick with the smile and nodding. Do that attentive golden retriever held tilt thing you always do.”

“It’s going to be—”

Sam slapped a hand over Steve’s mouth. “Don’t you say it.”

“—fine,” Steve said.

Sam closed his eyes like he had a particularly painful headache. “Let’s just get this over with.”

“What about the bike?” Steve asked.

“Leave it and the bags. We might have to make a quick escape.”

It didn’t sound at all like Sam was joking. 

Sarah had the door open before either one of them could knock. There was a whole group of people gathered behind her. Steve saw Sam grimace out of the corner of his eyes as they both took in Sarah’s strained smile.

“I am so sorry about this,” Sarah said as she leaned over to greet them with a group hug.

“What is it?” Steve asked.

“Wait for it,” she whispered and stood back.

Steve tried to tell himself Sam’s family didn’t look disappointed at seeing him. It wasn’t that easy to keep telling himself that when they started to talk about him right in front of his face.

“Told you it wasn’t the god,” Gideon said. He was a mountain of a man who pulled Sam off of the front stoop and into a hug. “Let’s go in the kitchen and talk about your life choices.”

“Jesus, Gid,” Sam muttered. “Stop.”

Steve shot a look at Sarah who just sighed and ushered him into the living room. “I tried to tell them you’re Sam’s boyfriend and the obvious choice as his companion for the party, but they still thought he was going to bring someone _cooler_. Living Legends apparently aren’t as awesome as magical hammers.”

“It is a pretty impressive hammer,” Steve said. He looked back at the disappointed faces of the kids. “I can see if I can get a message to Asgard for the party. I mean, it’s the least I can do.”

“Steve,” Sarah said with a shake of her head, “you’re pretty damn awesome. Don’t let a bunch of kids sell you short.” She guided him into the living room and gestured to the couch where an elderly man sat. “Steve, meet Grandpa Wright.”

“That’s not Thor,” Grandpa Wright said as he adjusted his glasses and squinted up at him. “It’s that other blond one. Pierceye.”

“Hawkeye, Grandpa,” Sarah corrected. “And he’s not that one either. It’s Captain America.”

“That’s not Isaiah,” Grandpa Wright said as he squinted even harder through his glasses.

“It’s Captain Rogers,” Sarah said. “The other Captain America.”

Grandpa nodded then. “Oh, the other one.” He looked Steve up and down. “I thought you’d be bigger.”

Steve laughed and sat down beside him. “Trust me, this is a lot bigger than I was.”

“Isaiah still has you beat.” Grandpa Wright returned to his paper. “I guess you’ll do.”

Steve looked up at Sarah who just shrugged and gave him a thumbs-up. Steve decided to take it as a win.

**********

Dinner was a buffet style set-up featuring hamburgers and hotdogs and Steve getting followed around by a group of very inquisitive children.

“So, what do you do if you don’t turn green?” Jody asked.

“Why can’t you fly? Uncle Sam can fly,” Keisha said.

“You don’t have any special weapons,” Jody said.

“He has that shield thing,” Corey, a nephew of a friend of a nephew or something, said.

“So, like a giant Frisbee?” Jamal, Corey’s twin brother, asked.

“It’s a very special shield,” Steve felt compelled to say. “There’s no other shield like it.”

“It’s like wearing a giant, shiny, target on your back,” Gideon said as he spread chili over his hot dog. “Not the best action from a strategic standpoint.”

“Is it when you’re trying to take a world of pain off other people who might not have the stamina for it,” Steve said. 

“Fair enough,” Gideon said. “You do get beat up a lot.”

“Part of the job,” Steve said.

Gideon laughed at him then. “Fair enough,” he repeated. 

“So why don’t you have a cape?” Jody asked. “Thor has a cape.”

“No capes!” Keisha gleefully declared.

Steve let Sam pull him out into the backyard where they claimed two of the lawn chairs.

“Still think it’s just going to be fine?” Sam asked.

“I’ve had worse receptions,” Steve said. “At least no one’s booed me out of the room yet.” He took a huge bite of his own hot dog. “And the food’s good. Probably should’ve brought Thor though.”

“I’ve already got one blond asshole to deal with,” Sam said as he rested his head against Steve’s shoulder. “You’re enough of a handful.”

“Love you too,” Steve said.

“Don’t you kiss my head with that chili hot dog breath of yours,” Sam warned.

Steve just gave him a look before kissing Sam right on the nose.

**********

The night had passed in the same sort of soft-hearted insults about Steve that he willingly and gladly took. He really had been called much worse in life, and he couldn’t blame anyone for wanting to meet Thor. Powerful being from another world kind of trumped long-lived World War II soldier any day. None of the members had been openly hostile either. From where Steve was sitting it was going well enough. Far from a resounding success true, but he really didn’t expect more from a group of people who basically knew nothing about _him_.

“I’m sorry,” Sam said, his voice muffled since his head was in his hands. “I’m so sorry.”

“Why?” Steve asked as he sat down beside Sam on the guest bed. “So what if your family is less than impressed by me. It’s refreshing. At least none of them told me the only reason I’m special is because of the serum. Trust me, Sam, I’ve had far worse receptions. I mean it. I’m not just saying it to get that pretty smile back on your face.” He gripped the back of Sam’s neck and smiled when Sam smiled. “They just love you and want the very best for you. Thor could make you a king; I can’t argue with a family who wants their son to have the world.”

“I’m pretty sure Jane would have a thing or two to say.”

“I’m pretty sure I’d have a lot more to say,” Steve said. He kissed the top of Sam’s head and massaged his shoulders. “It really is going to be okay. I think Gideon is even starting to warm up to me. I believe I saw the tiniest hint of a smile before we said goodnight.”

“He probably only likes you because you’re not Banner.”

“I’ll take it,” Steve said.

He squawked when Sam suddenly gripped him around the waist and pulled him down on the bed. They landed with an audible thump and both busted out laughing when someone banged on the wall.

“None of that before midnight,” Grandpa Wright yelled.

Steve laughed so hard he actually snorted, which set Sam off, which set Grandpa Wright off again.

“Don’t make me come in there, boys!”

**********

Steve woke up at four the next morning thanks to his internal body clock still tuned to a schedule that saw him up before the sun. He quietly slipped out of bed, pressing a soft kiss to Sam’s bare shoulder, and smiled to himself as Sam lightly snored and swatted at him.

“Later, Steve,” he mumbled before turning his face into the pillow. 

Steve carefully covered him with the blanket and grabbed his shaving kit from their luggage. He was surprised to see a light on in the kitchen when he stepped out into the hallway. Steve ducked into the bathroom to brush his teeth first before he went to investigate.

Grandpa Wright was at the breakfast table with his paper laid out. He looked up and gave Steve a quick nod. 

“Good morning,” Steve said. “Got any coffee around here?”

“Cabinet above the stove,” Grandpa Wright said. “Make me a cup too, please.”

“Sure,” Steve said. 

“There’s bread on top of the fridge if you want some toast,” he said before taking a bite of his own.

“Thanks,” Steve said as he made his own plate while the coffee percolated. 

Grandpa Wright pushed out a chair in silent invitation and Steve nodded his thanks as he put his plate on the table. Grandpa Wright passed him the strawberry jam and his knife. They ate in a comfortable silence until the coffee finished. 

“I didn’t know about Isaiah Bradley before,” Steve said as he placed a mug of coffee in front of Grandpa Wright. It’d been bothering him since last night that he hadn’t addressed it. “I learned about most of it after I woke-up. I meant to contact him and New York happened and then SHIELD.”

“I know you’re a man who has nothing but time,” Grandpa Wright said. “He’s still in the Bronx. The Bradleys wouldn’t leave, even with half the city destroyed. You should visit on your way back home.”

“I am truly sorry about your home,” Steve said. He hadn’t been around when Bruce’s Hulk side had destroyed a good portion of Harlem, but he knew the team’s actions in New York hadn’t helped with the re-build.

“I suppose you know a thing or two about having to leave the past behind, yet still going on with the burden of legacy,” Grandpa Wright said. He took a sip of his coffee and smiled. “Kid, this could take the rust off a tin roof.”

“Let me get you another cup,” Steve said.

“No need,” Grandpa Wright said. “Hadn’t had it this strong since Korea. Never thought I’d miss it as much as I do.”

“I’m still working on getting back into the world, you could say,” Steve admitted. “I think it’s going to take a long time for some things to change.”

“Maybe some things shouldn’t,” Grandpa Wright said. “It’s a shitty job what you kids are doing, and Sam too even if he keeps telling us it’s not like that. I know better, and I know Nicholas Fury better than that. He doesn’t tend to let good assets go to waste and Sam’s a hell of a trump card with his different kinds of training. It’s good that he got his wings back. Sarah doesn’t quite understand why he wanted them back after Riley, but I’m guessing you get it.”

“I do,” Steve said. 

“Just—keep an eye on him. He’s precious, that boy, and he’s as stubborn as his mother. Sometimes he does need to come on back down. Let him bring you back down too when you need it.”

“I’ll try,” Steve said.

“You will,” Grandpa Wright ordered. He took another sip of his coffee and then folded his paper over. “Some masked kid’s running around Hell’s Kitchen. One of yours?”

Steve looked at the grainy black and white picture. He shook his head. “Never heard of him.”

“Makes you wonder just how many of your type is out there.”

“Guessing we got a whole lot more,” Steve said. “I’m just letting the world surprise me at this point.”

**********

“Can you call Black Widow?” Keisha asked. “Not that having Captain America at my birthday party won’t be cool, but she’s _Black Widow_. She’s awesome.”

“She is,” Steve agreed as he tried, and failed, to beat her at _Mario Kart_. “If your mom says it’s okay, I’ll ask if she can come visit. I can’t just have her come uninvited.”

“Okay,” Keisha said. She hopped off the couch and went in search of Sarah. 

Somehow Steve still managed to crash before her character. 

“You know, for a man with a one-of-a-kind strategic mind, you suck at driving simulations,” Sam said as he took Keisha’s place. He stretched out over the couch and rested his feet in Steve’s lap. 

Steve dropped his control and rested his hands on Sam’s ankles. It had become a calming act for him, to run his fingers over Sam’s skin, trace the muscles in his body, note the places that made Sam twitch and the ones that made him sigh and the ones that made him tense up before he completely melted. 

“Your evasive driving skills trump mine,” Steve said as he ran his fingers up Sam’s calves. “Use the best suited operative for the required task.”

“So that’s why I’m always the getaway driver?” Sam asked as his eyes fluttered shut when Steve’s fingers skittered around the back of his knees. 

“Something like that,” Steve said.

Sam smiled at him, slow and indulgent, and leaned back into the cushions with his neck tilted in a way that made Steve really tempted to disregard everything he knew was right and proper concerning being a guest in someone’s house.

“Getting hot and bothered there, Rogers?” Sam asked before straightening up and re-starting the video game.

“You’re really fucking devious,” Steve swore as he shifted and tried to get comfortable again.

“Just think about what’ll come your way once we get home,” Sam said.

“Not helping,” Steve said as he grabbed the video game controller and tried to concentrate on the game.

Sam leaned over, breathed in Steve’s ear, and Steve’s character crashed before it’d even really left the starting line.

***********

Steve, Sam, and Gideon were doing an afternoon jog around the neighborhood when Sam took pity on him and told him to just go ahead and run as fast as he wanted. Steve had just lapped the brothers for the fifth time when he noticed a beige mini-van following him. He didn’t let his steps falter, just allowed himself to slowly drift over to the other side of the road and down one of the side roads before cutting through someone else’s backyard and heading back to Sarah’s house and Sam’s car where his shield was in the trunk.

The mini-van was waiting for him when he arrived. The driver rolled down the windows when he approached. 

Natasha stuck her head out and waved. “So, Mr. Rogers, is it a lovely day in the neighborhood?”

“Funny,” Steve said as he slipped into the passenger’s side. “Are you here for business or pleasure?”

“Bit of both,” Natasha said. She dropped a flash drive into his lap and then pulled out of the driveway. “Official reports from what’s been going on in Hell’s Kitchen and its possible connections to the company taking over the re-development of Sam’s old neighborhood in Harlem. Other than that, I heard my presence was requested at a birthday party. We’re going shopping.”

“Does Sam know you’ve come to get me?”

“It was his idea. He figured you could use a break,” she said as she honked at Sam and Gideon as they drove by.

“It’s going fine,” Steve said. “Yes, really,” he added before Natasha could say anything. “Am I their favorite person? No. Will I get another invite to a family gathering? Most likely. We count that as a victory.”

“If you say so,” Natasha said as they turned out of the neighborhood. 

Natasha dropped him back off home just in time for dinner. 

“I’ll be here for the party,” she promised. “Is there anything else you need before I come back tomorrow?”

“I think we’re good,” Steve said as he slid out of the car. He looked up at the sky and laughed. “Actually, Nat, there’s one more thing you can do for me.”

“Bring it on, Rogers,” she said.

*********

The day of Keisha’s party was a bright one. Steve’s arms actually ached from the amount of streamers he’d helped hang and all the tables and chairs he helped carry out to the backyard, but it was worth it to hear the sounds of delighted laughter and the satisfied looks of the adults.

Keisha loved her bike, though the triumph of that gifting success was soon doused by the appearance of Natasha and her custom-made teddy bear in a Black Widow outfit plus toy weapon accessories and a tiara. There was still more to come though.

“What’s that look for?” Sam asked. “That’s your smug asshole look. That’s the look you get before you’re about to jump off something, or kick someone’s ass who really deserves it, or whenever you make my knees buckle.”

“Party’s not over yet,” was all Steve said before he slowly sipped his punch.

“Steven Rogers what the hell did you do?” Sam asked.

A murmur of concern went through the crowd as thunder started to roll.

“You didn’t,” Sam said. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Steve said.

There was a sudden thunder and lightning storm centrally located on the empty lot beside them, though the rest of the sky remained bright.

“Do I even want to know how you managed it?” Sam asked. His eyes drifted over to Natasha and he rolled his eyes. “You two. I should have known.”

An exquisitely bright flash of lightning occurred and then a voice boomed out of them.

“Son of Wil! It is good to see you again and your relations!”

“Holy shit,” Gideon said as he dropped a plate of birthday cake. “It’s Thor.”

“Still not the bow-and-arrow one,” Grandpa Wright said.

**********

Their backseat was full of leftovers for their long drive back to D.C. and an old suitcase Grandpa Wright insisted they take. They’d just started to near the city’s borders when Steve cleared his throat.

“What?” Sam asked.

“Can we make one more stop?” Steve asked.

Sam immediately put his signal on and changed lanes. “Yeah, I figured you’d want to go there. I was just waiting for you to ask.”

“You know where it is?” Steve asked. 

“Where the Bradleys live? Of course,” Sam said. “Everyone stopped by to meet the Bradleys at least once. Grandpa Wright taught us all from a young age to always show Isaiah and Faith Bradley the highest levels of respect.” Sam smiled at some distant memory. “I still remembered the first time I met them. I’d grown-up on the legends of course. Completely awestruck.”

“It’ll be an honor to meet him,” Steve said. “I should’ve done it earlier.’

“Probably,” Sam said. “I’m just glad I’m with you for it. I haven’t checked on them in months. It’s time for a visit.”

They pulled up in front of the Bradley home sooner than Steve expected. He felt his stomach churn with nerves, though they calmed a bit when Sam wrapped a comforting hand around his wrist as they walked up to the door.

Sam knocked and it didn’t take long before they heard various deadbolts unlocking and the door creaking open.

A young teenager stood on the other side. His jaw had dropped open slightly and he was looking at Sam with wide eyes. 

“Holy crap! You’re the Falcon!” the kid said.

“Yes,” Sam said, “yes I am.” He gestured to Steve. “Me and the man on my right here, Steve, would like to speak with your grandfather if he’s available.”

“Let me just go ask,” he said, leaving the door wide open.

“Eli, you close that door,” a woman’s voice yelled.

“And that would be Faith,” Sam said.

“Grandma, the Falcon’s here!” Eli yelled back. “And some guy named Steve.”

“Steve Rogers?”

“I don’t know. Grandma, it’s the _Falcon_!” 

“Well tell them to come inside and stop letting the air conditioning out,” she called back.

Steve’s grin matched Sam’s own as he followed him inside.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're interested in more of The Bradleys, please pick up a copy (actual or digital) of _Truth: Red, White, and Black_ for Isaiah's story and _Young Avengers Presents #1 PATRIOT_ for more Eli, Faith, and Isaiah.


End file.
